Mr. David Arthur Detwiler

David Arthur Detwiler, age 74, passed away peacefully at his home in Melbourne, FL, surrounded by loving family. His wife, Susan (Lutz) Detwiler, was at his side then and throughout their nearly 35 years of marriage, ultimately becoming a devoted caregiver in his years of decline with frontotemporal dementia. Born in Albany, New York, he was the son of James S. Detwiler and Virginia (Zeyak) Detwiler. His family relocated to Merritt Island, FL in 1954, and in 1960 they moved to Cocoa Beach. David quickly adapted to the Florida climate and beach life, learning to surf and enjoying many hours of sunshine and high-spirited mischief with his sisters and brother. After graduating from Merritt Island High School (MIHS), class of ‘68 (Go Mustangs!), David earned an A.S. degree from Brevard Junior College. He then moved to Tampa and began courses at University of South Florida. In 1973, he and Robin (Yingling) Moye, MIHS class of ‘72, were married. During their 13 years of marriage, they settled down in Orlando with their two daughters. While working full-time in the construction industry, David graduated from University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and became a structural engineer. Following his work for Florida Steel and Rinker Materials, he managed the rebar division at Hughes Supply for many years. Always finding time to be helpful and to have fun, he would tackle any task around the home with competence and ingenuity. He had many adventures with his daughters, like camping, cooling off at water parks, and visiting theme parks. He’d play softball with co-workers, go on ski trips, attend rock concerts and sports events (Go Knights! Go Magic!), and he very rarely missed a day of work. He enjoyed MIHS reunions, and it was at the 20-year reunion that he reconnected with Susan, also class of ‘68. They married in 1989, in a double wedding with his sister Barbara and her groom, Steve. With Susan, he leveled up his camping game from tents to pro-level RV party pad! Their series of RVs were gathering sites for many great times with friends and family at UCF home games, RV resorts, and several beautiful coastal sites, from St. Augustine to Key West. Grill master and corn hole champ (he fitted LED lights in his boards before that was a thing), David showed the young’uns how it’s DONE! He was also a loving and dutiful dog-dad, and he even showed one of their wire-haired fox terriers in the competition ring. Of all his many accomplishments, one major source of pride for David was his diligence in donating blood, reaching a total of over 25 gallons given to the local blood bank and countless lives saved. He is survived by his wife Susan, daughters Angela and Laurie, grandchildren Isaac Crawford, Gavin Betterman, and Simone Fowler, sisters Deborah Passarelli, Barbara (Steven) Bell, and Tracey Detwiler, brother Mark (Ali) Detwiler, uncle Michael (Caroline) Zeyak, nephews, a niece, and their children, several of whom had the opportunity to enjoy good times with their Uncle David. He will be laid to rest at Riverview Memorial Gardens, in Cocoa, near his dear mother Ginny. David will be remembered by many, with admiration, love, and laughter. The family is grateful for expressions of sympathy and suggests memorial gifts, in lieu of flowers, be made to University of Florida’s Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CTRND) or to The Brain Donor Project, Memorial Donations, P.O. Box 111002, Naples, FL 34108-1929, with notation of David’s name and an address or phone number of a member of his family to allow notification of your gift. David’s family would like to offer their moral support to others affected by a dementia diagnosis. Please reach out if you or someone you know would like to talk.

Mr. David Arthur Detwiler

May 4, 1950 - May 10, 2024

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Mr. David Arthur Detwiler

May 4, 1950 - May 10, 2024

365 Days of Grief Support

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information